No One Else
by LostGetFound
Summary: Isabelle and Simon are getting serious about each other, but Isabelle isn't sure she's ready for commitment. She is sure that she doesn't want Simon to go back to Maia. Songfic. Post COG. Spoilers. This is my first songfic and also my first MI fanfic.
1. No One Else

**This is my first songfic, and it's also my first MI fanfic. I was listening to this song today, and for some reason, it made me think of Isabelle and Simon. The song is No One Else by Allison Iraheta.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Mortal Instruments series or the song.**

**_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________  
**

**Isabelle**

Ring... ring... ring... The phone kept making the same noise over and over again, but he didn't pick up. The girl sighed and leaned heavily against the wall. She was tired, but then she was tired an awful lot these days. Not physically tired. No, that would have been preferable to this kind of tiredness. This was a tiredness of the heart, and Isabelle Lightwood was sick of it.

She sat down at her desk, and stared unseeingly at her black and gold walls. She picked her Ipod up from its place among her other things on the desk. She turned it on, more to have something to do that because she wanted to listen to music.

_I got myself to blame for this  
Got myself to blame for my difficult days  
And my typical ways_

Isabelle hit pause. She didn't recognize the song, but she wasn't very familiar with Mundie music. She figured that it must be something Clary had tried to convince her to listen to. Clary felt that Isabelle should listen to more Mundane music. The lyrics of this particular song spoke to her, though. It was her fault he wouldn't answer. Her fault that he was mad at her again. She knew that the next time she saw him; he would have that loser, Maia, with him.

Simon always went back to Maia after he fought with her, Isabelle reflected. Simon and Maia were both Downworlders, and despite the fact that one was a werewolf and the other a vampire, they got along well. Simon and Isabelle, on the other hand, fought all the time. It only proved what she had been told since she was little; Downworlders and Shadowhunters did not mix. Especially in relationships.

This time she and Simon had fought because Simon wanted to tell her parents about their relationship, and she didn't. They hadn't killed Alec and Magnus, he reasoned. Therefore, they wouldn't kill her and Simon. She could remember the looks on her parents' faces when they had first found out that their son was gay. They had found out that he was dating a Downworlder at the same time. Neither her mother nor her father had been happy. Right after the war was over and Valentine was vanquished, they had been celebrating with everyone else, only to catch Alec lip-locking with his sparkly boyfriend. But Alec was different. For one, he had always been their favorite child. For another, Magnus was a warlock not a vampire.

Isabelle was the trouble child. She had dated Downworlders before, but she had never been serious about one. Until Simon. She sighed again and hit play.

_But you,  
You know how to let things slide  
I'm all perfect in your eyes  
You don't see- all the damage in me,  
And,_

_  
There's simply no one else  
In the world I could ever find  
Likes me when I'm low  
And still tolerates me when I'm high  
You, you got me down  
You kept comin 'round_

_  
There's simply no one else  
I could lean on a thousand times,  
Still be there again, and again  
And never lose his mind,  
You know me so well,  
That you can't even tell,_

_  
That you're like no one else...  
That you're like no one else... _

Simon. Every word in this song made her think of Simon. He might make fun of her cooking, along with everyone else, but she knew that he didn't see that as a fault. In his eyes, she had no faults. He didn't think of her youngest brother's death or her dislike of most Downworlders as baggage she carried around. He loved her. When she was happy, so was he. When she wasn't, he only wanted to cheer her up.

She knew she was beautiful. With her long dark hair and tall, shapely body, some would even refer to her as a knockout. But there were times when she looked and felt like crap. Simon was there for her during those times too. Like when she was dealing with Max's death. Simon was always there.

_No, nothings ever what it seems,  
But you always seem to be  
Who you are; even when it gets hard_

_You, let me kick you to the floor  
And you still come back for more.  
You're too good.  
What did I do to deserve you?_

Nothing. That was the answer; she had done nothing to deserve him. But he had taken all of the blows she dealt him, and come back to her.

_There's simply no one else  
In the world that I could ever find_

_Likes me when I'm low  
And still tolerates me when I'm high  
You, you got me down  
You kept comin 'round_

_  
There's simply no one else  
I could lean on a thousand times,  
Still be there again, and again  
And never lose his mind,  
You know me so well,  
That you can't even tell, _

_  
That you're like no one else...  
That you're like no one else... _

Oh, Simon, she sighed. She had been afraid of commitment. Heck, she still was. Simon had always taken that as a sign that she didn't care. But she did care. She more than cared; she loved him. But Isabelle had never committed to anything in her life much less any_one._ She didn't even know if commitment was worth it.

_  
I told you I'd never love you  
You said that it would be okay  
You had enough love for us anyway  
I told you I'd never need you  
But oh you proved me wrong again  
And I pray to god that never ends... _

How could she need him? She was a Shadowhunter, a Nephilim. She could defend herself against demons. She didn't need anyone. Or so she had thought, but boy was she wrong. Now, there was a hole inside her, one that could only be filled by him. The sad thing was that she wouldn't have minded being wrong, had he been there to fill that hole.

_There's simply one else  
In the world that I could ever find  
Likes me when I'm low  
And still tolerates me when I'm high  
You, you got me down  
You kept comin 'round_

_  
There's simply no one else  
I could lean on a thousand times,  
Still be there again, and again, and again.  
And never lose his mind,  
You know me so well,  
That you can't even tell, _

_  
That you're like no one else...  
That you're like no one else... _

He didn't know. He knew that she liked him, but he didn't know that she cared deeply for him. He didn't know that she loved him. Isabelle looked back down at her phone on the desk. She knew in her heart that she had to tell him, and she had to tell him tonight.

She picked up the phone and hit speed dial. He didn't answer on the first ring, or the second. Just as she was about to give up, he picked up the phone. "Hello?" he asked sullenly. He was obviously still mad at her.

"Hey, Simon," she said, quietly. "I have something important I need to tell you. Can you meet me at the diner in fifteen minutes?"

Ten minutes later, she was sitting in a booth, tapping her foot anxiously. She checked her phone again, but there was no message from him. As she was laying it down, the phone slipped out of her hand. She flinched as she waited for it to hit the floor. But it didn't.

"Missing something?" a smooth voice asked from behind her.

She turned slightly in her chair, already knowing that it was Simon. "Thanks," she said as he handed her the phone he had caught. His vampire reflexes were much better than the Mundane ones he'd had before, and she still couldn't get over how different he looked now that he no longer needed glasses.

_You know me so well  
You can't even tell_

Parts of that song kept running through her head as he sat down in the booth seat across from her. "No problem," he replied, but the look in his dark eyes was brooding. She didn't know what he was expecting her to say, but she was sure she would surprise him. She licked her lips nervously. She was a little scared, but she knew what she had to do.

She was really going to go through with this. "Simon, I just wanted to tell you that..."

_  
That you're like no one else...  
That you're like no one else..._


	2. When I Pretend

**Okay, here is the same thing as the previous chapter, just from Simon's point of view. The song is Jordan Pruitt's When I Pretend. Not my favorite song, and it doesn't really seem like something Simon would listen to, but it was the best fit for the chapter that I could find.**

**And, unfortunately, I still do not own the Mortal Instruments series. I obviously don't own the song either.**

**Simon**

Simon sat all alone in a deserted café. His date, Maia, had bailed last minute to go to some sort of werewolf meeting. He could understand. After all, he had to do the same things for the New York vampire coven. But that didn't mean he had to like it.

The only other person in the café was the girl behind the counter, and she looked as if she was ready to close for the night. The sign on the door said it closed at nine. Checking his watch, Simon saw that it was only eight. He had plenty of time to sit here and mull over the mess his life had become.

The vampire thing, Maia, trying to convince his parents he was still their same old dorky son. It was hard to believe that less than a year ago, Simon had been a human with interest in only music, video games, and Clary Fray. It was ironic, how much of that had changed. Sometimes it was all too much for Simon. And that was even without adding _her_ to the mix. Simon stopped himself before the thoughts could go any further in that direction. He wouldn't let himself think about her right now. Not after she had made it so clear she didn't want him. But as much as he tried to steer his thoughts away, they kept returning to the front of his mind.

He closed his eyes, trying to block off all thoughts, good or bad. Breathe in, breathe out. He tried to clear his mind, but then he heard the music. The girl who worked at the café had turned on a radio, effectively distracting him from his task. It was pop music; the kind that Simon didn't like, but as he listened, he began to change his mind.

_Thoughts of you keep running through my head  
Images I just want to forget_

The first two lines immediately caught his attention. Wasn't that what he had been doing all night? Trying to forget those thoughts of Isabelle Lightwood? Izzy was one of the most beautiful girls he'd ever met, and she knew it. Her image was etched into his mind forever, and even if she wasn't beautiful, he'd still have loved her.

_I look in the mirror and put on a happy face  
But nobody sees it  
And I don't believe it_

No, he didn't believe it. He just hoped Izzy would. Since she didn't want him, he had to convince her that it was okay with him. He had to make her believe he liked Maia. You never knew, she might even get jealous enough to want him back. But he knew that was a long shot.

_I bought into every word you said  
I never thought that's something I'd regret  
I look at you now and wonder who I see  
I'm lost in a frenzy and it's never ending_

She had convinced him to love her; she had given him encouragement. Isabelle had seemed to feel the same thing for him that he felt for her. He had believed her, but now Simon knew better. If she wasn't even willing to tell her parents that she had feelings for him, then she obviously didn't.

_The way we used to talk all night  
I still get butterflies  
when I go there again  
I see the way you used to smile  
If only for a while  
But only if I pretend_

Butterflies, he laughed. There had to be a more masculine name for the feeling he got in his stomach when he saw her. The feeling he got when she smiled at him.

This song seemed to follow his train of thought perfectly. Yes, he was mad at Izzy. Yes, he felt like she had strung him along. And yet, when he thought of her, it wasn't those bad times he thought of. It wasn't the arguments that drew his attention. It was the good times. The times they had spent hanging out and having fun. Sometimes it led to making out, and sometimes it didn't. With Isabelle, Simon was never quite sure what would happen next.

He frowned now, still listening to the lyrics. Only if I pretend. He pretended all the time that Izzy was with him. To see her face, all he would have to do would be to go to the Institute down town. Going there wouldn't be the same, and to see her, he would have to talk to her. He quickly abandoned that idea.

_If I could draw the world I wanna see  
I know just how I'd picture it to be  
I'd stand here alone and know that it all was real  
You say you don't need it  
I know you don't mean it  
And I don't believe it_

_The way we used to talk all night  
I still get butterflies  
when I go there again  
I see the way you used to smile  
If only for a while  
But only if I pretend_

Ring… ring… ring… At first, Simon didn't even hear his phone go off. He was too focused on the music. He reached down to check the caller's name. When he saw the name, he sighed and set it to go straight to message.

He might spend most of his time thinking about her, but that didn't mean that he actually wanted to talk to her. Why would Isabelle be calling him? Simon wondered. Isabelle was the kind of girl who didn't have crushes. She was too strong and independent to ever need anyone. Even Simon. His vampire reflexes were much better than his human ones, but Isabelle was a Shadowhunter. She could definitely take him in a fight.

He was relieved when his phone stopped ringing, glad to not have to deal with his ex-girlfriend. Ex? The thought had come out before he realized what it meant. The word Ex implied that she was no longer his, and Simon wasn't sure if that was something he could bear. He still loved her. And it hurt too much to think that they could never be together. But if Isabelle didn't get her priorities straight soon, that might be exactly what happened.

Simon jumped this time when his phone rang. It was Izzy again. He decided to take a chance on her and answer. "Hello?" he asked, immediately having second thoughts about this. What if she wanted him back? What if she didn't? What if she told him she found someone else? He could barely keep from panicking.

"Hey, Simon," she said sweetly. He loved the sound of his name coming from her mouth. It was so sweet, like she really cared about him. And he sounded like a complete wuss, fawning over her like this. "I have something important to tell you. Can you meet me at the diner in fifteen minutes?"

No. Why would he meet her there? He had to turn her down. "Sure," it was hard to tell who the word surprised more. Simon certainly didn't mean to say it, but now he couldn't take it back. She had already hung up.

By 'the diner', he assumed she meant Taki's. Taki's was the Shadowhunters' favorite restaurant in New York, because it was run by Downworlders. There were very few other places in New York where people knew about them and deferred to and respected them. Well, some people respected Shadowhunters. They did keep the peace, no matter how obnoxious certain blonde ones seemed to be.

It took him less than fifteen minutes to get from the café to Taki's. Before he left, he asked the girl behind the counter what song had just been playing. When she told him, he had to laugh. Who from his old life would have believed that Simon Lewis had just enjoyed listening to a song sung by a Disney artist?

When he got to the diner, Isabelle was already there. He paused for a moment in the doorway just to admire her. Her long black hair flowed over he shoulders, and her outfit showed her impeccable fashion sense. She looked slightly frustrated, and kept checking her phone every few seconds. He had to smile at her obvious edginess.

He made his way over to her quietly, trying not to let her see him just yet. He was standing behind her chair when she dropped her phone. It was a very not-Isabelle thing to do. Izzy never got nervous and was never clumsy.

He caught it just before it hit the ground and he was thankful once again for his vampire reflexes. "Missing something?" he couldn't resist teasing her a little bit.

She jumped nervously and turned to smile at him. Oh, that _smile_.

The lyrics from that song came back.

_I'm where I wanna be  
Don't you wake me from this dream  
oh oh oh oh oh, oh yea_

_When I go there again _

_Oh I see the way you used to smile_

_If only for a while_

A dream. It seemed so much like a dream to see his Izzy aim that smile in his direction again. He sat down in the booth seat across from her, accepting her thanks with a quiet, "No problem."

Isabelle still looked a little nervous. His eyes were drawn to her mouth again as she licked her lips. "I just wanted to tell you that…"

_If only for a while_

_The way we used to talk all night  
I still get butterflies_

It was almost natural now, the song running through his head as he waited for whatever it was that Isabelle was going to say. Not knowing gave him those butterflies again.

"Why hello there," said a voice behind him, deliberately interrupting Isabelle. He turned to see their waitress. "I'm Kaelie." She told them.

"We know," Isabelle glared at her.

Kaelie ignored her and looked at Simon. The last time he was here, this same waitress had eyes only for Jace, who in turn had eyes only for Clary. Ever since Simon had become a vampire and ditched his glasses, he was getting a lot more attention in that department. The plus side was that it seemed to make Isabelle steaming mad. The glare on her face just made Isabelle more attractive in Simon's eyes.

They ordered and the waitress left.

"Now where were we?" Simon asked before Isabelle could say anything.

But she just smiled. "I believe that I was about to tell you something important." He wasn't sure he wanted to know, but he asked anyway.

"Which was…?"

_When I go there again, again_

_Oh I see the way you used to smile  
If only for a while  
But only if I pretend_

He didn't want to have to pretend anymore, he decided. But Isabelle had commitment issues, so he was going to have to.

_Only if I pretend_


	3. Right Here

**Here's chapter three! The song for this chapter is Right Here by Hawk Nelson. I love this song, and Hawk Nelson is a really good Christian rock band for any of you who are into that, (like me.) The song takes a little while to make its appearance, but bear with me.**

**I don't own Izzy, Simon, or the song.**

* * *

**Isabelle**

Recap: "Now where were we?" Simon asked before Isabelle could say anything.

But she just smiled. "I believe that I was about to tell you something important." He wasn't sure he wanted to know, but he asked anyway.

"Which was…?"

Isabelle was really nervous now. She had been all set to tell him before Kaelie had showed up, but the longer she put it off, the worse the nerves became. How was she supposed to tell Simon that she loved him? She didn't even tell her family that very often.

"I needed to tell you that…" he raised his eyebrows. She had to stop trailing off. She had to man up and say it. "Simon, what I'm trying to say is that I… I"

"You what?" he asked. Simon was beginning to look alarmed. It looked to Isabelle as though he suspected she was going to tell him that she was pregnant, and he was the daddy. But that was ridiculous because they hadn't gone that far.

"I wanted to tell you that…" she closed her eyes, knowing that the whole thing was going to come out this time. "I wanted to tell you that I love you!" she blurted.

Whatever reaction she had expected from him, it wasn't the one she got. Simon didn't move; he didn't flinch. His expression didn't change. If she hadn't known better, she'd have suspected that he hadn't been listening. But she knew that he had.

When what she had said finally sunk in, his eyes got wide and his jaw dropped. "You what?!"

"You're a vampire. I know you heard me, Simon. I love you."

"Yeah, I heard. It's just… unexpected," he said vaguely.

She lifted an eyebrow. "I just told you that I loved you, and all you have to say is that it's unexpected?" She could see the change in Simon's face as he realized that it wasn't the best thing to say. She flipped her long black hair over her shoulder and narrowed her eyes at him. All she wanted to do was wrap her arms around him, he looked so cute when he was confused, but she was beginning to get a bad feeling about this.

"Yeah," Simon frowned, but he couldn't meet her eyes. He nodded slowly. "That's it for now."

She hadn't been expecting him to say he loved her back, but it hurt to hear him dismiss her words as blasé."Oh," she whispered, blinking away tears.

Hearing the catch in her voice, Simon looked up. His eyes met her darker ones. When he saw the pain in her tear-filled eyes, she saw panic in his. "Oh, Izzy, I didn't mean it like that," he assured her. "It's just a lot to take in, and I don't know what to say. I'm still trying to process it."

"It's okay," she lied. "You don't have to say anything. I… I'll just go." She practically jumped out of her seat in her haste to leave, but turned around at the last second. "Whatever you decide, Simon," she told him quietly, "I want you to remember that I'll always be right here."

She was almost to the door when she heard him call after her. "Isabelle!" but she didn't turn around. "Izzy!" he came after her.

When she reached her room, Isabelle threw herself down on the bed. Simon had followed her out of the restaurant but no further than that. For now, she was safe. Safe? She asked herself. Safe from what? She certainly wasn't safe from heartbreak because right now she was pretty sure her heart was broken.

She felt the tears forming again, but held them back. She was Isabelle Lightwood. She was strong and tough, and she never _ever _cried. The only time she could remember crying was when Max died, and she spent weeks crying over that. She didn't cry over boys, her head told her, but her heart said differently. This time, she let the tears out. She buried her face in the pillow and cried.

_Every time I see you I can see right through you  
Knowing I could never change your mind  
I look into your eyes for the last time  
I have realized for the first time_

_While everyone is around I'll take a moment  
To let you know that I am down_

"Alec!" she yelled across the hall, figuring that must be where the music was coming from. "Turn that down!" The only response was that the music was turned up louder. She was tempted to take her temper out on her brother, but quickly decided that it wasn't worth it.

Fine, she huffed. She would listen to his stupid music with the stupid lyrics that actually made sense. Though she was mad, she couldn't help but compare her life with the song. She was definitely down, that much was for sure. And Simon obviously knew it, but he hadn't come after her. He had let her go; he had insinuated that he didn't care. She couldn't change his mind. She would be a fool to try.

_Have all my questions been ignored?  
This time I'm walking out the door_

Walking out the door. She had literally done that, after Simon had done it figuratively. She had to get away, or she would have broken into tears in front of him.

_I don't know if I'll ever know why  
Or hear the sound when angel's cry  
What you said to me late last night  
I'll remember for the rest of my life_

_  
Every night when I close my eyes  
I see the ways that you've touched my life  
And I want you to know that I'll  
Always be right here_

Tonight, she corrected the song in her head. She'd never forget what he had said to her tonight. Or more importantly what he hadn't said. He hadn't said that he loved her. He hadn't said that he didn't. He also hadn't said that he loved Maia either. Principally, he had told her nothing.

She had finally worked up the guts to tell him, only to receive no reply. He didn't realize how important he was to her. He had affected her in so many ways, touched her heart so deeply. Without Simon's comforting, she would still be grieving for Max, the way her mother was. Without Simon, she wouldn't know what it was to just be happy to hold someone. Or to have someone hold her.

He had to come to his senses. He had to remember that she was right here.

_Time stands still, so do I, leave me here  
But for now I will go and I won't say nothing  
Every time I hear that sound it reminds me that  
You're always hanging around_

He was always nearby. If Simon wasn't close to her physically, then she felt him. She could imagine the cute naïve smile he had when she had first met him, when he had still liked Clary. Isabelle had been jealous of Clary then. Not because of her looks, and not because she had Jace. No, Isabelle had been jealous that Clary had such a great guy like Simon in love with her. Isabelle had gotten so attached to Simon that he was always around, even if he wasn't there.

_Have all my questions been ignored?  
This time I'm walking out the door_

_I don't know if I'll ever know why  
Or hear the sound when angel's cry  
What you said to me late last night  
I'll remember for the rest of my life_

_  
Every night when I close my eyes  
I see the ways that you've touched my life  
And I want you to know that I'll  
Always be right here_

The sound when angels cry. Wasn't it Poe that had said the angels were jealous of his love with Anabelle? Isabelle felt positive that angels could be hurt like anyone else. Isabelle thought about Jace and Clary who both had a lot more angel blood than anyone else living on earth. They seemed human enough. She had often seen the pain inflicted on their relationship when they had believed themselves to be brother and sister.

But Jace and Clary had always loved each other. She, on the other hand, had no way of knowing how Simon felt about her. She knew he cared, but beyond that, she was clueless.

_These are the days these are the moments that pass us by  
We ask the questions but we never really find out why  
_

Unless Simon decided to suddenly make up his mind, she might never get an answer to her question. Was it even worth it to wait for him, she made herself ask. The firm, resounding answer was yes. He was worth it.

_  
Pull my card right from the bottom  
Reminds me of the things we've forgotten  
That road trip we look back in autumn  
The time we left and went back and got 'em_

_These are the days these are the moments that pass us by_

_I don't know if I'll ever know why  
Or hear the sound when angel's cry  
What you said to me late last night  
I'll remember for the rest of my life_

She, Simon, and the whole crew had traveled to Iridis together. They had witnessed some amazing, crazy things. That was where her brother died. That was where Alec and Magnus had announced that they were together. That was where they had saved the Clave from Valentine.

That was where she and Simon had gotten closer. It seemed like they had left that behind when they came back here. Their relationship was stuck in the magical world of Iridis, not the metropolis of New York. It was gone, and she wasn't sure that they could get it back.

_  
Every night when I close my eyes  
I see the ways that you've touched my life_

Isabelle stood up, and walked to her dresser. Underneath the knife hidden in her drawer was a photograph. She pulled it out, and had to close her eyes to block out the deep feelings building inside of her. The picture was of her, Simon, Clary, Jace , Alec, and Magnus at one of Magnus' parties.

No matter what he wanted, Isabelle thought decidedly, she would be here for him.

_  
And I want you to know that I'll  
Always be right here_

Right here.


	4. Now You Tell Me

**Iz and Simon are going through a rough time in their relationship. This one is from Simon's point of view. It's his thoughts on Izzy's sudden change of heart. The song is Now You Tell Me by Jordan Sparks. Not very happy, but it will get better in later chapters. Heads up for those of you reading my other stories, I only do happy endings.**

**I took out the parts in the song where she says boy because Simon is very obviously not gay, so it would sound kinda funny if the song was talking to a guy. That may just be me, but still.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything, duh.**

**Simon**

"Aggghh!" the noise Simon let out as he slammed the door to his car was not a happy one. He couldn't believe himself. Isabelle had said she loved him, and he had been too stupid to tell her that he felt the same way. Unexpected? What kind of crap response was that? And his stupidity had hurt Izzy, too. He stormed through the house and into his room.

Isabelle had always been strong, with huge defensive walls surrounding her emotions. Simon had never been able to tell what she was thinking or feeling. Until today. Isabelle had opened up to him, but wasn't it a little late for that? She had strung him along for months before pushing him away yet _again_. And now all of the sudden, she decided she loved him. Who was to say that wouldn't change in a few days? Her moods ran hot and cold in turns. Simon shook his head to dismiss this notion, but the more he thought about it, the more likely it seemed that she would change her mind again.

This was so complicated when it should have been so easy. His mom had always told him that if you have doubts about something, they're usually there for a reason. He had to stop analyzing this. It was a problem for another day, a day when he could think straight. To distract him, he turned on his radio, and randomly began to flip through the stations.

_Is there anything that can make you happy?  
I don't know what to say to make it better  
Seeing you like this, down and hurt so badly  
When you have been so kept together_

Oh, crap. He groaned. It was just his luck that the first song that came on would remind him of _her._ He was tempted to change the station, but decided that he might as well listen to the song. Maybe it would give him some sort of insight into Isabelle.

Already, it mentioned her pain, the pain that his rejection had caused. Before tonight, Simon would have never suspected that anything he did could have that kind of effect on Isabelle. It made him wonder why she had this sudden change of heart. A person simply didn't wake up and decide that they were going to be in love today.

_What's this?  
All this time I thought you didn't need me  
Now I've gone from you and now you tell me_

Exactly. It took him not responding to make her actually care. If he didn't know her so well, sometimes he would suspect that Isabelle's heart was made of stone. She had told him over and over again that she was strong enough to handle whatever life threw her way. She had told him that she didn't need his help. Apparently, she had lied. If she had lied about that, who was to say that she wasn't lying about this? It hurt to think that Isabelle, his Isabelle, would do that.

_You're in love, but that's not what it was  
All those times that passed by with no signs  
And now you're telling me  
You miss me, why couldn't I see?  
And my heart don't agree with what you're telling me_

Isabelle had two ways of dealing with things. She either faced them fearlessly, head-on, or she just didn't. She didn't face them at all. She pretended they would go away. She had ignored him for days after each of their fights, and they had plenty of fights. Finally, she had figured out that he was the one thing that refused to go away.

His heart. He felt like an idiot, trying to examine his emotions like this. He knew he had to, because if he didn't know what he felt, how the heck could she? It seemed to him like she didn't know her own emotions very well, either. It felt wrong to him that after all their issues, she would just expect him to accept that she had abruptly decided that she loved him. He had no warning. If anything, that signs were pointing in the opposite direction.

He just wasn't sure what to believe. He wasn't sure of anything anymore.

_You were nonchalant, strong, and unaffected  
And you never wanted me to be there  
I never saw your heart, that's how close you kept it  
So right now I'm so unsure how to care_

That was Isabelle precisely. She didn't care what others thought. She was her own person. She was unique. She was formidable, and she was just plain Isabelle. No, he amended the thought; there was nothing plain about Isabelle. Nothing plain at all. From her long, jet-black locks to her dark, serious eyes. She was tall and beautiful.

The problem with her was that her emotions were so well masked that he had never seen them. He had never presumed, never guessed what lay beneath the surface. And now that he knew the truth, he had no idea how to react. He didn't know what to say, what to do, what to think, or how to care. He was just plain confused.

_What's this?  
All this time I thought you didn't need me  
Now I've gone from you and now you tell me_

_You're in love, but that's not what it was  
All those times that passed by with no signs  
And now you're telling me  
You miss me, why couldn't I see?  
And my heart don't agree with what you're telling me_

He couldn't help but wonder what Isabelle was doing right then. Was she at the institute, or had she gone to a party to forget about him? Even if he was mad at her, Simon had to give her more credit than that. He had seen Isabelle's face when she spoke to him. He had witnessed the tears in her eyes when he hadn't answered. Isabelle wasn't planning to forget him anytime soon. Not the way he wanted to forget her.

The whole reason he had started an actual relationship with Maia was to forget about Isabelle when he had realized that she was bad for him. He had realized that early on. Isabelle was the kind of girl who could chew a guy up and spit him out, and still come out just fine. Isabelle could fight demons with that menacing whip of hers and not break a sweat. Even Simon had realized the odds of their relationship lasting.

_No attention was given  
No affection from you to heal the hurt  
I was hoping  
I was wishing  
Just to listen and to hear those words_

He had been there for Isabelle always. And most of the time, she had been there for him. Isabelle's idea of being there for someone was different than most people's definition. She was the kind of person who forgot by partying. She forgot by moving on. Simon had already tried that method, but it hadn't worked for him.

Had it? He thought about Maia. She was a werewolf. He was a vampire. In urban legends, they were always a bad mix. Werewolves and vampire never got along according to the stories, but Simon and Maia did. In fact, they more than got along. He and Maia always had fun together.

_You're in love, but that's not what it was  
All those times that passed by with no signs  
And now you're telling me  
You miss me, why couldn't I see?  
And my heart don't agree with what you're telling me_

The more he thought about it, the more he realized that he had never given Maia a serious chance. He had always been so focused on forgetting that he had never paid much attention to her except to use her that way. Maia was a great person. She was funny, nice, and smart. He forgot himself with her. He even forgot Isabelle sometimes.

Maia had been there for him in ways Isabelle hadn't. She was always around if he wanted to talk. She never pushed him to get her way. She let him be himself. With Isabelle, he was always on his best behavior. Or his worst depending on how you looked at it. Isabelle made him want to look cool. She made him want to stand out, to impress her. With Maia, he could just be.

_You're in love, but that's not what it was  
All those times that passed by with no signs_

He loved Isabelle, he admitted to himself. He loved her a lot, but he knew that their relationship wouldn't work out. He knew that soon, her moods would run cold again. She would decide she wanted someone new. He would do good to get out while he still could.

_And now you're telling me  
You miss me, why couldn't I see?_

Isabelle was going to move on. She was going to forget about him. Simon wanted to forget about her too. He knew what he had to do. He made his decision quickly before he could think better of it. Digging through the junk on his floor, he found his cell phone. He picked it up and found Maia's number. He had to give her a chance. A real chance.

_That my heart don't agree with what you're telling me_


	5. Take Me

**So, when we left off, Isabelle was feeling rejected, and Simon was convincing himself that he liked Maia. This chapter lets you get into both of their heads to figure out what they're thinking. This chapter also has Clary. It's another Hawk Nelson song. This one is called Take Me, and it's one of my favorite of their songs. Originally, I think it's about his relationship with God, but I figure it can work for Izzy and Simon. This chapter's kind of different, but it's one of my favorites.**

** Today is my fifteenth birthday! You know what would be a nice birthday present? More reviews! I really do appreciate hearing what people think of my stories. I'm sure you do too, so please review it!**

* * *

**Isabelle**

After Simon's rejection, Isabelle had thought a lot about their relationship. The conclusion she had come to was that she was going to get him back. The only question now was how to do it, and she knew just who to call to help her come up with a plan.

Isabelle called Clary. "Hey," she said when Clary picked up.

"Hey, Isabelle." Clary replied. "What's up?"

Clary had only been a shadowhunter for a little over a year, and when Isabelle had first met her, Isabelle had been reluctant to accept her. Jace, Isabelle's adopted brother, had fallen for Clary from the start. After all that they went through to be together, he and Clary were happy to stay that way. It didn't bother Jace's family; he was much nicer when Clary was around.

Clary had changed a lot since she and Jace got together, too. One change in Clary was her newfound confidence. She knew who she was and what she wanted. And she knew how to get it. Usually, Isabelle did too. She found it ironic that a year ago; Clary came to her for advice. Now, it was vice versa.

Clary agreed to come to the Institute to help Isabelle. She told Isabelle that she had been planning on coming over to see Jace anyway. Fifteen minutes later, Isabelle was spilling her guts out to Clary. They may not have started out that way, but Isabelle and Clary were now close friends. When she was done telling Clary all about Simon, who just happened to be Clary's best friend, Clary was silent. Then, she pulled out her phone and began messing around with it.

When she finally spoke, all Clary said was, "What do you think of this?"

By this, she meant the song her phone began to play.

_Can you hear me? Does anyone around me  
Feel the way that I feel now?  
Cause from the window where I sometimes cry  
I just want to see your face tonight  
And I'm willing to lose everything I am_

Isabelle frowned. It wasn't like Clary to be so random, to evade answering a question. But she trusted Clary enough to just go with it. The first thing she noticed was that song reminded her of Simon. That wasn't unusual because for the last few days, everything had reminded her of Simon.

She would do anything to see Simon. To find out how he really felt. Whatever he felt for her, she may never know. No, she reminded herself that she had to be positive. She had to believe that she would get him back. If, for some strange reason, Clary felt that listening to this song might help her get him back, Isabelle was willing to do it.

_'Cause I need you more than ever  
I need your help to find where I've been going wrong so far_

She knew where she had been going wrong. Isabelle had been denying what she felt, but she was done with that now. She needed Simon, though. When he was around, she just felt better. She wasn't sure how to describe it or how it worked. She wasn't even sure why she loved him. Okay, that was a lie. She loved him because he was Simon. He was dorky, loveable, dungeons and dragons playing Simon. He was the Simon who loved music enough to still be in that stupid band. The Simon who liked her enough eat her horrible cooking. He was just Simon, and that was all she needed.

_Take me under your wing tonight  
Make me so perfect in your eyes  
Hold on cause it will be alright  
You're not alone._

Clary paused the song after the chorus came on. "So," she asked the taller girl, "What do you think about it?" Isabelle shrugged, not wanting to admit her real thoughts. "Come _on, _Izzy. You have to give me something to work with."

"Fine," Isabelle muttered. "The song reminds me of him." She said it shortly, as if she didn't want the words to leave her mouth.

Clary grinned. "That's exactly what I was going for." Isabelle gave her a confused look, but the redhead's smile just got wider. "You think it will remind him of you?"

Isabelle considered it for a minute, not quite getting her friend's plan yet. "I guess so," she replied. More confidently, she nodded. "Yeah, I think it will."

"Great."

**Simon**

Simon's phone was in his hand when it began to buzz. Upon inspection, he saw that it was from Clary. He opened the message, and was surprised by what he found. A ringtone? Why would Clary send him a song that he had never heard of before? They hardly ever liked the same music. The message said that it was the full version of the song. Just to find out what it was, he hit play.

Simon was a third of the way through the song before he realized why Clary sent it to him. No wonder the song reminded him of Izzy, he realized that it was supposed to. Clary was playing matchmaker again. It made him wonder if Isabelle was in on it too.

_  
When you're near me, I feel like I just found me  
In the traces of the boy from yesterday  
But in a world that is so black and white  
I will take the steps to change my life  
And I won't be coming back to here again_

He wouldn't be coming back. Wasn't that what he decided a few moments ago? Now he wasn't so sure. Most of the time, even when he was with Maia, he thought about Isabelle. His mom had once told him that if you couldn't get someone out of your mind, maybe they were supposed to be there. Was Izzy supposed to be there? Or was he just being fanciful again?

This all seemed too complicated. When he had liked Clary, it was so much easier. Isabelle seemed to make everything more difficult than it had to be. He had no idea what to think any more.

_I need your loving hand to guide me  
Through the maze of all the things inside me  
Then I'll know that I'm alright_

_Cause I need you more than ever  
I need your help to find where I've been going wrong so far_

Isabelle might be overbearing and bossy sometimes, but she had that effect on him. She let him know that he was alright. The change from human to vampire had been hard on him. Isabelle had snapped him out of self-pity. Isabelle was intimidating, she could probably snap him out of anything. 

_Take me under your wing tonight  
Make me so perfect in your eyes  
Hold on cause it will be alright  
You're not alone_

_  
Please help me get from worse to better  
Before these tears soak through this lonely sweater  
And let me know that I'm alright  
I still have one strike of this match left  
And I'm holding on to my last breath  
And its getting a little dark around to see here  
_

One strike of the match. Clary probably meant for that to symbolize this as his last chance to get his girl. The more he thought about it, the more he realized that it wasn't Isabelle who had made things so complicated. It was trying to get away from her that was proving so difficult.

With the phone still in his hand, Simon considered banging his head on the table. He was already confused enough, he decided. There was no need to lose more brain cells over the matter. He knew what he had to do. He just wasn't sure he wanted to do it.

_  
Take me under your wing tonight  
Make me so perfect in your eyes  
Hold on cause it will be alright  
You're not alone_

He dialed Isabelle's number before he could change his mind.

**Isabelle**

Isabelle's phone began to ring, playing No One Else by Allison Iraheta, her new ringtone. When she heard the song start playing, Clary laughed. Isabelle glared at her. So Clary had been the one to put that on her ipod after all. They both knew who was calling.

"Hello?" Isabelle wondered if he could detect the slight tremor in her voice as she answered.

"Hey, Izzy." He replied. He sounded so serious. She wondered what he was going to tell her. Would it be a yes or a no? I love you or go away?

_Take me under your wing tonight  
Make me so perfect in your eyes  
Hold on it will be alright  
You're not alone_

Remembering Clary's song, she thought she knew what he was going to decide. "Have you come up with a real answer yet?" she teased, hoping to get him to loosen up.

"Actually, yes. I decided, Izzy," he told her. She could almost hear the smile in his voice, but he didn't continue.

"Come _on, _Si!" she insisted. "Aren't you going to tell me?"

"You know they say patience is a virtue, right?" he goaded her.

"Since when have I ever tried to be virtuous?" she demanded. Hearing a muffled cough that sounded like badly disguised laughter from across the room, she remembered that Clary was listening. She gave Clary a dirty look, but Clary didn't even try to stop laughing.

"Good point," Simon said. "Well, if you insist…"

"Simon will you just get on with it?" she hissed. She knew that he was just teasing, but she wanted an answer.

"Since you're so persistent, I guess you deserve to know," he relented. "All right, Isabelle. You've probably already guessed, but since you're going to make me say it… I- I love you, Izzy."

Isabelle wasn't ready to let him off easy quite yet. "That's _so _romantic, Si."

"Don't worry," he told her. "I'll have plenty of time to get sappy later. For now, I just wanted you to know how I feel."

Isabelle smiled. They each knew what the other was feeling; they didn't have to say anything else. 

_And you'll be here forever, forever you'll stay  
And you promised to love me, you'll love me always  
You'll love me for always, you'll love me for always  
Always_

Across the room, Clary was also smiling. She had known that her two best friends would work things out. Sometimes all it took was a little push.


	6. Beautiful Ending

**I couldn't update this chapter sooner because my computer has some sort of virus and won't work. So here I am trying to type on this ancient version of Word on my parents' computer. :( This chapter has two songs. They are Freeze by Jordin Sparks and Beautiful Ending by BarlowGirl. **

* * *

**Simon**

"Would you stop that?" Jace snapped at Simon. He and Simon had never gotten along very well, but recently, they had been trying to patch things up. Well, Simon had been trying to patch things up. Jace was being his usual stuck-up self.

"Sorry," Simon muttered. This time, Jace had a reason to be annoyed. Simon couldn't stop thinking about Isabelle, and every time he did, he would zone out. Then, he would trip or do something clumsy. Jace was trying to chop vegetables for lunch, and Simon kept bumping into him.

Giving up on staying away from her, Simon walked into the hallway towards Isabelle's room. He almost stumbled over the fat cat that sitting in the middle of the hall. He cursed under his breath. "Hey, Church," he said after he recovered. "Could you help me find Isabelle?"

Church always seemed to know where anyone in the Institute was, and if he deigned to lead someone, he could always help them find who they were looking for. Church stretched and got up to lead Simon to Isabelle's room. She had the speakers on her radio up full blast. He could hear the music from outside.

_Hold the pose, a perfect picture  
Just so I remember how you're looking tonight  
Let it go, now the day's gone  
Standing in the dark, although we've turned on the lights_

He pushed open the door to see her sitting at her desk. She was bent over a piece of paper that she was scribbling on. He studied her silently, being careful not to alert her to his presence. It was almost as if she was holding still for him. Simon gazed at her, studying her long dark hair that she kept pushing out of her face. He would love to touch her hair, to stroke it or wrap his fingers in it.

He took one step into the room, then another. Isabelle was in her own world, and Simon couldn't help but smile at the happy expression he saw on her face. They hadn't talked in person since their big phone call yesterday, but Simon could tell it had made her as happy as it made him.

_Tonight we will deny, that time is passing by  
It's leaving you and I to..._

_Freeze_

As soon as the singer said the word, Isabelle did exactly that. Simon could tell that her Shadowhunter instincts told her that someone was behind her. Slowly, she turned around, drawing a knife from her sleeve as she did so.

"Calm down, Izzy! It's just me." He almost had to shout to be heard over the music.

"Simon!" Isabelle visibly relaxed. She dropped the knife and ran to him, throwing her arms around him. He hugged her back tightly.

_The moment, its never been better  
Freeze_

_All over, we won't last forever  
You said that you're sorry for pushing me_

Isabelle let him go reluctantly and went to turn down the radio's volume.

_  
But then smiled when I opened my eyes  
I'm gonna  
Freeze  
The moment, while we're together_

When the music faded into the back ground, Isabelle came back to Simon. She pulled him down to sit on the bed beside her. "What are you doing here?" She asked.

"What do think?" he retorted. "I'm here to see my girlfriend. You might know her," Simon joked. "Her name's Isabelle." He loved how she couldn't stop the smile that lit up her face when he said that. Simon knew that she had never taken pride in being someone's girlfriend before. Actually, he suspected that she had never had a real boyfriend before. They were all hook-ups, temporary relationships until she moved on to the next guy. Until him. If she felt for him half of what he felt for her, they would get their happily ever-after.

"The name rings a bell," she said nonchalantly before pulling his face down to hers for a kiss.

_  
Keep the peace, bygones be gone  
Coming out the rain under the life that we've made  
Under here, we're not so strong  
Forgiving the feeling that we put on parade_

_Tonight we will deny, that time is passing by  
It's leaving you and I to..._

Simon didn't want the time to pass. He wanted to stay right here with his Isabelle, kissing her until they were both senseless. He pulled her onto his lap and deepened the kiss. 

_Freeze  
A moment, its never been better  
Freeze  
All over, we won't last forever  
_

But that was where reality differed from the song. Simon hoped that he and Isabelle would last forever. When they finally came up for air, Simon gently moved his lips down to her neck. He rained kisses onto her throat. Reaching behind her, without removing his mouth, he grabbed the remote to her radio, and hit a random button.

_So tell me what is our ending  
Will it be beautiful  
So beautiful_

The music coming softly from the speakers immediately changed. This song fit much better with his mood. Isabelle was beautiful. He couldn't get enough of her. He already knew what their ending would be.

_  
Will my life find me by your side  
Your love is beautiful  
So beautiful_

Beautiful. His mouth made its way back up to hers, and she kissed him fiercely. He kissed her back just as intensely. Simon's gentle kisses became more and more possessive. He pushed her lips apart with his tongue, no longer listening to the song. He was too lost in Isabelle to notice anything else.

_Oh why do I let myself let go  
Of hands that painted the stars and holds tears that fall  
And the brighter my heart makes me forget  
It's not me but you  
Who makes the heart beat  
I'm lost without you  
You're dying for me_

_So tell me what is our ending  
Will it be beautiful  
So beautiful  
Will my life find me by your side  
Your love is beautiful  
So beautiful_

_  
At the end of it all I wanna be in your arms_

_At the end of it all I wanna be in your arms_

They pulled apart for air and stared into each others eyes. "At the end of it all," Isabelle quoted the song, her eyes never wavering from Simon's. "I want to be in your arms."

So he did as she asked and pulled her close. She snuggled close to him contentedly. Isabelle loved kissing Simon just as he loved kissing her. But as fun and exciting as that was, she was content just to be with him.

Just to be in his arms. He knew it, and that was all that mattered.

_  
At the end of it all I wanna be in your arms_

_At the end of it all I wanna be in your arms_


End file.
